In a turnover ceremony held at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa last Tuesday, former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno was named as the new chairman of the board for the Bureau of Corrections’ (BuCor) LOVE (Livelihood Opportunities: Volunteers for Ex-Offenders) Foundation Inc.

Present to welcome Puno to his new post was Undersecretary Oscar C. Calderon, director of the BuCor.

“We were looking for somebody with a reputation and respected by the community to head the organization. I really need somebody with the stature of retired Chief Justice Reynato Puno to lead the foundation,” Calderon said.

The BuCor LOVE Foundation, Inc. is a non-stock, non-profit, non-political organization. The group composed of volunteer officials from the Bureau of Corrections, inmate-leaders from the various camps of the New Bilibid Prison, and known civic-minded personalities from the community.

The organization spearheads the reformation and transformation of national prisoners. It focuses on both the In-Care Transformation Programs while incarcerated and the Aftercare Programs upon their release from prison.

“This jail ministry has long been a personal ministry on my part. We have a small Methodist church in Quezon City and part of its program is to minister to the spiritual needs of the inmates in the Quezon City,” Puno shared.

To coincide with the turnover ceremonies, the organization along with the Perlinian Group of Organizations conducted an optical mission where free eye checkups, and 500 frames and lenses were given to inmates. The foundation also handed out bibles to serve the inmates’ spiritual renewal.